Hidy pleased to see Lloyd & Green headed off to prison

MASSENA - When Patrick R. Lloyd and Miranda M. Green were arrested and charged with attempted kidnapping, mugshots that depicted the couple smiling were released, but now more than six months later it appears that law enforcement officers and prosecutors have gotten the last laugh.

Lloyd and Green accepted a plea deal this week that guarantees them time in state prison, and Massena Mayor James F. Hidy said he was glad to see couple getting locked up.

Obviously were ecstatic, Mr. Hidy said. Its a win for us in a small way.

Lloyds release under probation supervision in early April had made waves in Massena, where village leaders expressed disbelief that the New York City man was put back still on the streets despite a lengthy criminal history, pending drug and gun charges in Franklin County and the brutality of the alleged kidnapping attempt  and despite testing positive for THC, a chemical component in marijuana, prior to being released.

The decision to exonerate Mr. Lloyds bail and to release him under the supervision of probation shocks the conscience, Massena Village Police Chief Timmy J. Currier said.

The issues this community faces with respect to drugs and violence are well documented. Mr. Lloyd is at the center of it all, yet he has been released. To release him defies logic, Mr. Currier added at that time.

Mr Hidy had also been very critical of the decision. Judge Richards should re-evaluate his role as the protector of the citizens of this county, Mr. Hidy said in April.

Six days after his release under probation supervision, Lloyd was jailed after he was accused of taking part in a home invasion at 27½ Spruce St., Massena, earlier in the day. He reappeared before Judge Richards, where the judge revoked Lloyds bail based on the new arrest, and based on allegations that Lloyd had violated his probation terms by consuming alcohol.

The plea bargain reached Thursday calls for Lloyd to be sentenced eight years in state prison, while Green is expected to be sentenced to one-and-a-third and four years in prison.

I would have liked to have seen them get more time, but the fact he also has federal charges pending is poetic justice, the mayor said, adding hes expecting to see Lloyd also serve some time in federal prison.

As for the relatively short sentence expected to be given to Green, Mr. Hidy said he has doubts about her straightening her life around, noting the next time she is charged with she can expect a harsher sentence.

Early in the process, after Lloyd and Green were arrested and released on multiple occasions, Mr. Hidy was critical of both the district attorney and county court judge.

Right from the get-go I didnt feel this case was handled properly, but with all of the other incidents that happened in such a close period of time, both offices were eventually forced to take notice, he said.

As for Mr. Richards encouraging the pair to accept the plea bargain, Mr. Hidy said he thinks the judge was simply trying to speed up the process, knowing that federal charges against Lloyd were also pending.

He knew that was on the horizon, Mr. Hidy said.

Mr. Hidy also said that other drug dealers and criminals in the village should take notice.

I think with the drug trafficking and the recent crimes in the area this sends a message that this type of behavior wont be tolerated and Massena is not open for the drug business, he said. Im hopeful that is something like this happens again, it will be handled differently and more expeditiously from the get-go.

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